THATS even COOLER!

 

I knew about using the key, but didn't know about using the button for that. I'm constantly forgetting to close the sunroof.


Thanks.

 

Okay, here's one for ya. I confess it's not entirely new, as it had its own thread a year or so back, but it's never been in this one (I checked), and you're not likely to find it otherwise.

If you want to lock or unlock your car from far away (regular keys, here, not comfort access), you'll get much better distance by holding the fob in contact with your face. Lots of thoughts on the other thread why this works; best guess is that it has something to do with the sinus cavities acting as an antenna. This goes along with the fact that a person holding the rabbit ears could get better tv reception than the antenna by itself. (You young folks need to try to remember the way it was before cable and satellite reception! )

Hubby and I went to a hilly park that had some picnic tables quite a distance from the parking lot. I went back to the car to get something out of the boot, forgetting my key. Hollered back to "click the boot" and I was far enough away and downhill that he could barely hear me. He held the fob as far over his head as he would reach, and couldn't get it to open. I'd read this thread, so I yelled back to touch the fob to his cheek. He obviously thought I was more nuts than usual, but he tried it, and it worked.

Try it!

 

I have a tendancy to do this too. Remembered one time about 6 hours into an all-day rain. And I had a leather interior in that car. Surprisingly, no harm was done to anything, although there was more than a little water on the floor.

No, it wasn't the MINI! Do you think I'd confess on THIS site??!

 

There's several variations on this. I was first told to place the fob next to my throat and then open my mouth. Strange, but it doubled the effective range of the fob.

Click and Clack on NPR discussed this several months ago and there were several scientific explanations. They found that you could extend the range simply by reaching up as high as you can with the fob in your hand. That method worked just as well as up against the throat and burp twice routine.

 

Are you guys looking at the coolant overflow tank by chance

 

Nope.

 

Nope, better. Remember, in my example, Hubby did this, and he's a tall man anyway. The instant he tried holding it up against his cheek the boot opened. He was amazed.

Quite a few people successfully tried it and posted on the other thread.

Haven't heard about the burp routine, but that really does sound more like an Urban Legend.

 

I've had to pay close attention to this--my previous car, '94 325i, had the washer fluid tank exactly where the coolant tank is now! My nightmare is that I will be in a hurry and mix the two.

 

I've also been curious as to what this is. I drive an R53, but I work at MINI so I've had lots of customers ask. Some think that it could be for holding maps?? Not sure.

 

Canadian MINIs have them all open I haven't heard any rattling so far. The interior of the R56 is pretty solid compared to my R53.

 

Hahaha!! That reminds me of Napoleon Dynamite with the tater tots stored in his pocket

 

People still use maps?

 

Sorry, the bit with the secret compartment was resolved long ago. Starting before last April (March?) ALL cars coming over had it, and the early cars were retrofitted by about July or August.

Incidentally, it turned out that the compartment wasn't bolted shut--it was actually an entire component, including the part you see on the dash.

 

Yeah, they do. The biatch in my GPS has gotten me lost more times than not! And I tried using it in familiar territory just to check on the routes. Finally called Garmin and let the poor guy at the end of the line really have it. It turned out that the thing needed a programming update.

I'm still not exactly happy with it, although we are slowly coming to terms with each other. I just turn the volume down and try to ignore her.

I'm glad I "only" paid $250 (on sale).

 

I haven't had that problem with the MINI NAV. The only time it messed up was when construction got in the way.

 

I didn't buy the nav system--what's the situation with updates, anyway? I mean, if they make a better potato peeler, I can just throw out the old one. What do you do when it's an integral part of the speedometer?

 

There is a DVD drive for the NAV. So, if MINI releases updates there is a path.

 

thats awesome!!!

my contribution:
you know that if you hit the silver button on the back of your electronic key and pull the tab you will end up with the disc in one hand and an actualy metal key?

(sry if its a repost 35 pages is a lot to read through

 

Going off this, you can also make use of just the disk without the key. No idea why anyone would though, unless they prefer the lightest 'load' possible in their pocket.
Once the disk somehow got disconnected from the rest of my keys and I was able to start/stop/unlock/lock without a prob (no comfort access, btw).

 

^hm interesting, i do have the comfort access option, buti guess it doesnt matter

 

Again, without trying to read through everything, I just found out that the gas cap lock is a little pin that pops out when you lock the driver's side door. Thus, if you get out of the car, fill up, lock the doors to go elsewhere for a while, you will have to unlock the doors again to close the gas cap lid.

 

you can't just gently lay the gas cap on top of the pin? then when you unlock the door to get back in the car the pin retracts and allows the gas cap to close fully.

this "trick" has worked with my bmws.

 

Why does my one "key remote" not open my hatch? (The one I use regularly does)

Why can't I open my rear hatch after I get out of the car if I don't hit the unlock on my remote? even with the drivers door is open.

 

The boot loves a little more attention...

I'd ask your SA about your bad key, but have you kept pushing for several seconds? That's what it usually takes for me.